Hidden in Plain Sight"An online brochure about some of the "Unexamined History" of the both the town and congregation of the North Parish of North Andover, Massachusetts. It includes information about the Pennecook, who lived here on this land before the English arrived.
North Parish, now a Unitarian Universalist congregation, was once a Puritan congregation known as the First Church of Christ at Cochichawicke and was the founding congregation of the town 375 years ago, in 1645. Our 375th anniversary as a congregation is this Oct. 24th; the 375th anniversary of the town is next year, 2021. This brochure covers four "chapters" of our history.
Many in our town and perhaps schools are at least vaguely aware of North Andover’s connection to the so-called "Salem" witch trials, but we have found that fewer are aware of the history of the indigenous people, slavery in small town New England, or the forms of institutional segregation that continued to separate and alienate Black and white Americans after slavery was ended in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. This brochure offers examples of this history, gleaned from congregational and historical records."
- Rev. Lee Bluemel
Minister, North Parish of North Andover, Unitarian Universalist
